Bogus 'Complaint Removal' Sites Prey on Small Businesses

Scam artists mislead business owners targeted by angry customers

Not long ago, it was rare for a retail or service business to be
publicly criticized. If businesses appeared in the news at all, it
was usually because they had applied for zoning variances,
sponsored a softball team or opened a new outlet.

Then the Internet came along and consumers were suddenly free to
share their opinions about the service they had received from their
auto mechanic, the quality of their new flat-screen TV or the
trustworthiness of their lawn service.

Today, as any politician will tell you, anyone can say anything
about anybody. It's called democracy and it can sometimes be
a bit rough around the edges but experienced practitioners will
tell you it's best to roll with the punches and engage your critics
– explain the steps you take to prevent consumer
dissatisfaction and be upfront in describing your efforts to
correct oversights that lead to online complaints. After all,
the consumers who read online complaints and reviews are fully
aware that what they are seeing is, for the most part, one-sided
and overly negative – just as the advertising for the same
businesses is one-sided and overly positive.

It's especially unfortunate when businesses panic at seeing
negative comments and try to force the genie back into the
bottle. This simply cannot be done. We live in a free
country where consumers can, and will, speak their minds. The
only thing that has changed is that businesses can now see what
their customers have always said about them.

It's particularly unfortunate when businesses fall for quick-fix
solutions that only make a bad situation worse. In the early
days of the Internet, companies thought they could sue consumers
into silence by filing lawsuits against sites like ours. This
not only doesn't work, it produces even more bad press when,
invariably, consumers' right to free expression is upheld in
court. It can also be ruinously expensive, as companies who
have sued us and similar sites will tell you.

More recently, small businesses have been falling for pitches
like that from Done! SEO, a search engine optimization company that
claims it can make consumer complaints disappear from sites like
ConsumerAffairs.com. Though SEO firms can help companies
optimize organic ranking for their keywords, and there are many
high-quality SEO firms out there, claims such as this are simply
misleading.

Retailers and service providers sometimes pay thousands of
dollars a month for these “removal” services before
they realize their money has been wasted.

A couple of simple facts to consider:

ConsumerAffairs.com has, since its founding in 1998, had a
policy of not removing complaints. Companies have always been
welcome to post responses but, once posted, complaints are there
indefinitely. We do not accept payments from companies
seeking to have complaints removed; in other words, we don't take
bribes

Despite what some SEO firms claim, they are not able to somehow
obliterate complaint pages on our site. They can generate
tens of thousands of pages of fraudulent content claiming to be
from real consumers but this is a) illegal and subject to civil and
criminal prosecution and b) ineffective, as all of the major search
engines are quick to detect attempts to spam their results with
bogus postings.

Consumers are not stupid. Those who do their online
research before making a buying decision fully understand that many
posted complaints are over the top. What they are looking for
is a measured, positive response that demonstrates a business'
commitment to addressing and solving customer dissatisfaction.

Taking all of this into account, ConsumerAffairs.com has
recently instituted new programs that make it easier for companies
to engage constructively with their customers.

Specifically, our “Accedited Business” program requires
local retailers and service providers to subscribe to a Code of
Good Practices and to respond promptly and proactively to customer
complaints. And, our “Reputation Management”
program for larger businesses establishes a direct, public
communications channel that facilitates fast, efficient exchanges
with aggrieved customers.

ConsumerAffairs.com has always been a pro-business, pro-consumer
enterprise. Unlike some other organizations, we
do not presume to assign grades to businesses or promote our
product evaluations – we are merely a communications channel
that allows consumers and business to openly and frankly
discuss and evaluate their experiences.

Critics may point to our independent and vigorous consumer news
operation as evidence that we have it in for businesses, but a fair
reading of our the stories we produce each day will, we think, find
them quite balanced and free of the political and special-interest
bias found in so many non-profit publications.

Lastly, the mere fact that our business model depends primarily
on revenue from advertising is itself evidence that we support and
celebrate the right of consumers and businesses to engage in the
kind of free-for-all that produces the greatest long-term value and
satisfaction.

Our founder and editor likes to say that “a good
reputation can't be bought, but it can be earned.”
Can't say it much better than that.

ConsumerAffairs' CEO, Zac Carman is a voice of the consumer for the consumer. Prior to ConsumerAffairs, Zac worked in private equity firm where he invested in senior care, health care, franchising and other consumer-focused businesses. Zac studied both engineering and sculpture at Dartmouth College.
Read Full Bio→

At ConsumerAffairs we love to hear from both consumers and brands; please never hesitate to Contact Us.

At ConsumerAffairs we take privacy seriously, please refer to our Privacy Policy to learn more about how we keep you protected.

You’re responsible for yourself and please remember that your use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use.

Advertisements on this site are placed and controlled by outside advertising networks. ConsumerAffairs.com does not evaluate or endorse the products and services advertised. See the FAQ for more information.

The information on our website is general in nature and is not intended as a substitute for competent legal advice. ConsumerAffairs.com makes no representation as to the accuracy of the information herein provided and assumes no liability for any damages or loss arising from the use thereof.